Tripod head



Jan. 11, 1949. E, MILL R 2,459,040

TRI F OD HEAD Filed Nov. 12, 1947 WHLIIIIIIIIIIIIIU \mllllllllllillllh 5 a v Patented Jan. 11, 1949 TRIPOD HEAD Eric Miller, Rose Bay, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Application November 12, 1947(Serial No. 785,397

In Australia Decembe'rS, 1946 Claims. 1(01. at -1a),

This invention has been devised to Drovidean improved base mounting forinstruments and machines which may require to be panned orv tilted in the operation of adjusting or aligning or focusing. These base mountings are generally known as tripod heads and are referred toby such name herein. I The tripod head of this invention is particularly useful as a base mounting for cinematograph machines but it is not confined to such use. i I

Tripod heads for cinematograph machines must be so constructed that anning and tilting can be carried out while the machine is in operation and without chatter of any kind whatsoever. If as the result of a faulty tripod head there is a chatter in the movement of the machine this chatter is amplified through the film and makes the projection on the screen objectionable.

Hitherto tripod heads generally used for the stated purposes incorporated metallic friction devices to permit panning and tilting movements but by reason of the nature of the surfaces in contact it was not possible to avoid the recurrence of chatter. If the friction in this type of tripod v head is reduced sufficiently to enable the machine thereon to be swung freely in its respective panning and tilting movements then the skiilof the operator must be relied upon to prevent the chatter and to maintain the machine aligned or focused which is a difficult and skilled operation.

This difiiculty is well known and tripod heads known as gyro heads have been'devisedto over-.

come the difficulty.

The object of this invention is to provide a tripod head having the advantages of the so named "gyro head but which can be constructed at a fraction of the cost thereof.

The tripod head of this invention consists of two members each rotatable in a cylinder one said cylinder having means whereby it is aiilxed to a tripod or foundation (referred to hereinafter as a foundation). The member in this cylinder is affixed to the wall of the other cylinder. The member in this latter cylinder constitutes amounting for the machine orinstrument (referred to hereinafter as the machine). I The machine so mounted can be moved to effect the panning and/or tilting operations.- Both cylin ders are charged'with a grease or liquid (referred to hereinafter as liquid" which surrounds the members and permits a free and regular movementof-the members without chatter.

Other features of the invention will be referred to in the following description with reference to .thegannexed drawings which depict one preferredembodiment. In these drawings Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the tripod head; Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional elevations on planes 22 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional vicw similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification;t Fig; .515 a fragmentary sectional view showing, a. further modification.

Referring to the drawings one cylinder 4 has a closedrend 5'withan internal boss 6 thereon. The boss 6 is boredand screwed as at 'lto take means-whereby. it is affixed to a foundation. The

cylinder 4 is screwed at the other end as indicated at;8-to take a screwed annular cover 9. In the wall of the cylinder 4 there is a screwed hole through which alocking screw ll) projects. This screw has a knurled head i 5.

.In-the cylinder 4 there is a cylindrical block 8 2 Whichisn'eatly fitting both as to diameter and lengthbut is freely rotatable therein. The block l2 has an axial recess in the bottom to clear the internal'boss 6 and an'annular groove is in the top which is filled with a packing material such as felt which projects above the surface thereof and constitutes a seal against the cover it. There is;also a groove i l in the periphery of the block l2 and. it may have one or more ports or grooves I5 in the wall longitudinally and/or across the bottom radially. Boss i5 on the block it pro- J'ects through the annular cover 9. The locking screw- I0, is adapted to. press'against the block l2 in the groove M and lock it against rotation.

Cylinder I! is mounted on the boss it with its axis at to the axis of the cylinder 4. It is secured in position by screws is which pass through the block l2 and into the wallthereof. This cylinder; H is closed'at'the end is and the open end is screwed as indicated at 26 to take a screwed annular cover 2 I. In the wall of-this cylinder, there is also 'a screwed hole through whicha locking screw 22 projects. This screw has aknurled-head 23.-

. have one or more ports or grooves 25 in the wall longitudinally and/or across the bottom radially. There is an annular groove 21! in the top of this block which is filled with a packing material such as felt which projects above the surface thereof and constitutes a seal against the cover 2 l. Boss 28 on this block 24 projects through the annular cover 2|. The locking screw 22 is adapted to press against the block 24 in the groove 25 and lock it against rotation.

A right angle bracket has on one limb 29 a projection 35 complementary to the boss 28 to which it is aaffixed by set bolts 3 it The other limbi 3?. of the'bracketis the base for the machine which, in this embodiment, is affixed thereto by screw 33. This bracket also has a lug 34 to take l5 an operating handle whereby the tripod headcisr: operated.

Both cylinders 4 and H are charged witlia liquid the viscosity of which is determinedby the needs to which the particular:tripodahead iss 29 to be applied. This liquid fills the spaceebetweemthe cylindrical blocks l2 and 24 and the respective cylinders and it also fills the groovesflfand in the cylindrical blocks. For most purposes theponstruction of thecylindri'calblock's and-the 25 cylinder coversil 'and 2! witnthe packings inthe grooves l Ii -and?! I described above =prevents'-the escape of the liquid b'i1t 'other sealing means may be" incorporated"; By 1 selecting liquid -of suitabl viscosity for the-workinvolved"the=resistance to" 30 movement of the cylindrical blocks in the respec tive cylinders can he regulated-as =dsir edi Means may be incorporated to regulate -the" tolerance between" the cylindrical blocks"|2'-l4 l and the ends of the respective cylinders in which they are housed for thep'urpose of in'creasing or decreasingthe resistance to movement of'the cylindrical blocks inth'e respective-cylinders:- Ifr one embodiment this toleranceis-regulated by annular plates fitted in each annular'coverll and 40 2 i These covers have "screws or" other devices l therein adapted: to bear against" the" annular plates. The: annularplates bear-' against the packing -material bedded in' th'e --respective cyliii drical blocks.

It is within ulie scope of the invention to'substitute f or the cylinder "H, the cylindrical block QIZ and the right angle 'bracket a cylinder" lTd open at'eachend' (see Fig. '4) having-'provision for affixing annular end covers 2la thereon": Tli'e' cy lindrical block 'flizmountedin this cylin'derhas a boss such as 28a on each end 'thereof projecting through the respective end covers; Thebracliet I is'a U-shaped member; the limbs 29a of'the-U correspond to the limb- 29 and are afiixed' to thev respective bosses-28. The topofcithe uxconsti-i tutes the base OllWhi'Ch the'machineis mounted-'5 In all other respects this cylinder andit'sparts' are identical to those 'clcscribed 'witlf reference "to Figs-l to 3-.-

Fig. Sshows a further modificationofth'e:invention wherein thecylinders4 an'd"l1or either of them (a fragmentof: cylinder ll is shown-in in the drawing) have-'or-has a brake block-recess SEWfC-rmed in the wall thereofI A brake=block 35 in' the recess -35 'has an arcuateface 31 adapted i to bear against the respective cylindrical blocks 2 and/or 24'? Thebrakeblock' 36*is' 'drilledas'at" 38" to permit the locking: screw I0 'and/ or-*22 to" register with the cylindrical blockslFand/or' 24. The-lockingscrew or screws are screwed'irlto and through a brake block screwed.- By this arrangement thebrake block and-"the'locking" screw can "be applied to the cylindrical bloclis fl and/o1" 24-" independently; While" th'e locking screw is intended to lock the cylindrical blocks [2 and/or 24 against rotation the brake block 35 is designed only to regulate the resistance to movement of the cylindrical blocks 52 and/or 2 3 It is useful in those extreme temperatures where the viscosity of the liquid normally employed is affected by the temperature.

I claim:

1. A tripod head consisting of two members each rotatable in a cylinder, one said cylinder having means whereby it is affixed to a foundationandith'emember thereinrb'eing afiixed to the wall of the other cylinder; the other said member constituting a mounting for a machine; both said cylinders being charged with a liquid which surrounds the members.

2. A tripod head consisting of a cylinder havingimeans'whereby it is afiixed to a foundation, havingacylindrical block rotatable therein, said cylindrical:block-.having a boss projecting from theicylinder;constituting a mounting for a second cylinder which is afilxed thereto said second cylinder having a cylindrical block rotatable therein, said cylindrical block having a boss projecting from the cylinder'constitutinga'mounting fdra machine; bbth' saidi'cylinders being charged" with a li'qui'd.

3. Atripod head consisting-of a cylinder having -a closed -endiwith an internal boss therein which is bored'andhcrewed to takemeans where-- by -it-is afiiiiedto a foundation, said cylinder being screwed externally at the other end" and havin anannular "cover "screwed thereon; a cylindrical block rotatable in said cylinder said cylindrical block lia-ving' agroove in its peripheryand having a-bbssprojecting throughthe annular cover; a'"cylir'ider aflix'ed to'said boss withits-'axis atflll tothe=axis=-of thefii'st cylinder said cylinder hav ing one endwlosed and th'e-other end screwed externally with an -annular cover screwed there on; a cylindrical blcckrotatable: in said :cylinder said cylindrical block-=having= a groove in its periphery and having a boss projectingthroughthe' annularcover; a -right 'angle' bracket 'afiixed by-one limb' to -"said boss'and'having means on the other limb -forsecuring a-rnachine thereto; a

locking screw in each" cylinder adapted to bear against the respective-'- cylindrical blocks.

4; A tripod head consisting- 0? acylinder having a-closed end-"with an internal boss therein which is boredand screwed-to take-means whereby it is aflixed tea-foundation, said'cylinder being" screwed' externally' at the other end and having an' annular cover-*screwed thereon; a cylindrical blook rotatablein' said cylinder: saidcylindrical block having'a groove *in its periphery and havinga boss projectingthrongh. the annular cover;

a cylinder affixed to said boss with" its axis at" to tlie' axis of the first 'cylinderrsaid cylinder having oneren'd closedland the other end-screwed" externally-with anr-annularcover screwed'thereon; a cylindrical block-rotatableini said cylinder said cylindrical block 'having' a I groove inixits' periphery" and?" having a b'oss projecting through the annular cover, a; right angle bracket aifixed by: one limb to :said': boss r and havingameans on the other limb for-securing a machine thereto; a 1 brake blockh in each cylinder and a screw to thrust eacli'said'brake'block against the respective cylinder blocks 5: A-- tripod "head consisting of a cylinder having' a closed end 'an'dmeans-forattaching saidcylin'der "toa foundationand having an annular cover='affi3 ed"to' the other end, a' cylindrical block in said cylinder having a bossprojectingthrough 2,459,040 5 said annular cover; a second cylinder affixed by REFERENCES CITED its cylindrical wall to said boss; said second cylinder being open at each end and having annular The following references are of record in the covers affixed to said ends, a cylindrical block in file of thisrpatent:

said second cylinder having a boss on eachuend 5 NITED STATES PATENTS projecting through said annular covers; a U Number Name Date b acket almxed by the limbs of the U to re- 2 31 33 Ries May 11 1943 spective bosses said U bracket having means for 2323473 Komng July 1943 securing a machine thereto; a brake block in each 2:424:499 Pasturczgi 1947 said cylinder and a screw to thrust each said 10 brake block against the respective cylinder blocks.

ERIC MILLER. 

